


I was told I was not in control (but I'll sit and wait for it to unfold)

by AmbroseRivers



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Chinese Zodiac, Did anyone ask for an unnecessary crossover/rewrite of Fruits Basket?, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-13 14:43:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11762100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmbroseRivers/pseuds/AmbroseRivers
Summary: Phil Lester remembers the tales of the Chinese Zodiac.What he is not prepared for is the discovery of the people cursed with the spirits and he definitely did not bargain on the aftermath.What has he gotten himself into?





	1. Impossible Possiblities

**Author's Note:**

> Originally, this was going to be a one-shot for my 20 song challenge but a little plot bunny dug its way into my mind so here we are. It isn't a crossover (not really) as I don't plan on having anyone from Furuba make an appearance. Instead, expect lots of YouTubers!  
> I hope you enjoy. Any feedback is welcome. <3

Phil had heard the tale, of course.

A lot of things were easily accessible online and there were always people who took a special interest in topics that others deemed “unusual”- his grandmother being one of them. If he closed his eyes, he could hear the jingle of crystals as the wind shifted and feel the warmth in his fingertips at the phantom smoothness of her tarot cards under them. He remembers kneeling at her feet, fingers jittering, and how she would laugh- fingers carding through his hair as she murmured:

“All that energy, Philip. You need room to hop around.”

He had tilted his heard at the strange words, blinking rapidly. “Hop?”

“Of course. You are born of the rabbit.” She had replied and Phil scrambled onto her knees eagerly.

His grandmother was the best storyteller even better than his mum! He hoped that she would elaborate and he couldn’t wait for the words to surround them, creating vivid but wispy pictures as she gestured. He would listen- kicking his feet happily as he clutched on to his favorite brown bear.

She didn’t disappoint and he was told the tale of the Chinese Zodiac- of the lively banquet with its warm atmosphere and camaraderie and of the betrayal of the cat who slept peacefully through the night who woke up the next day to wail out his pain when he realized he had been tricked.

He remembers his own cries echoing around them and his mum rushing from the kitchen to wrap in her arms.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” She whispered in his ear as his grandmother’s lips pulled up in one corner sheepishly. “Philly?”

“I don’t want to be a rabbit! I want to be a cat!” He yelled, burying his face in her shirt. “Please, mum, please!”

“What?” Had been his mum’s dumbfounded reply.

Phil screamed louder before his grandmother’s gentle fingers skittered soothingly across his back.

“You can be whatever you want, Philip. Just remember that whatever you put out into the world will come back to you.”

“She’s right, love. As long as you see the good in the world, anything is possible.”

 He sniffles and swipes a hand across his cheeks as he takes the words and seals them away in his heart. He vows to remember them, to live by them.

-

Years later, when he stands in front of a freshly dug grave with Martyn’s arm wrapped around his slumped shoulders and Cornelia’s hand pressed against his spine to steady him as tears stream from his eyes...

He wonders where the comfort of those words have gone.

-

“This is a good.” Phil murmurs as he stands in front of the door of the door, clutching the strap of his duffel tightly. “This isn’t your first term. C’mon, Phil.”

He is about to push open the door when a propped open door catches his eye and before he can stop himself, his feet carry him away from his own room (and a room mate he hasn't met) to peek in.

He grins at the person, at familiar flowing blonde locks with rose tips. She's flopped on the bed, on her belly, chin resting in her hand with a distant, hazy look in her light eyes. She hasn't noticed him yet- but Phil is overjoyed and can't contain it any longer.

“Louise!” Phil squeals and the girl jerked, hopping on the balls of her feet and bringing a curled fist up. Phil doesn’t bat an eye at the defensive position, making his way inside the dorm with a wide grin and extending his hand.

“Phil! You scared me!” Louise grumbles before clasping his hand in a bone-grinding grip and shaking. “I’ve missed you!”

Phil lets his hand be drug up and down before flexing his fingers and shaking the ache out of his muscles. Louise titters and his tongue moves between his teeth as he quivers with suppressed laughs.

“I missed you, too.” He replied before he tilts his head. “May I hug you?”

He was a very physically demonstrative person but he knew Lou- while warm and bubbly- tended to prefer comforting pats and squeezes of shoulders as her show of affection. He wasn’t surprised when she shook her head but reached to pat his shoulder fondly.

“Sorry…”

Phil waved his hand through the air as if the words were flies buzzing around his face. “Just thought I ask.”

Louise slid her legs to rest on the floor before scooting over on the bed and patting the space invitingly. Phil accepted, flopping on his back with a groan.

“Met your room mate yet?”

“Nope.” Phil sighed and rubbed a palm over his cheek. “I’m sure they are a decent person but I’m not good with meeting new people.” He rolled his neck side to side before sticking out his tongue at his friend. “How about you?”

Louise rolled her eyes. “I’m sharing with Charlie but we were debating whether we could get one of those small flats. You know the ones close to campus?”

“The town homes?” Phil questioned, closing his eyes in thought. Didn’t he see an advertisement for them on the flyer board in the student center? "Small" wouldn't be an adjective he used to describe the housing arrangement. The houses was a respectable size with several bedrooms but a single bathroom. It would cost a fortune if Charlie and Lou were the only two using it but he knew Louise desperately craved more space. "Not really a flat, Lou."

Louise merely pursed her lips and sucked in her cheeks before answering: “Yeah but we would need two more people and…”

Quiet grumbles cut through her words as Charlie stumbled through the door with a heavy cardboard box. Phil immediately stood and went to grab the front portion to lighten the weight the other boy supported.

“Thanks, Phil.” Charlie spoke gently, peeking through his fringe. “I appreciate it.”

“No problem.” Phil shrugged as much as he could. “Why don’t you go first? If I go…”

“Could be disastrous.” Charlie finished but a playful gleam twinkled in his eyes. He shuffled forward easily and Phil followed as best as he could before letting out a breath as he steadied his grip.

“Charlie! You fucking—“ The words were dripping with unbridled rage and Phil had no warning as something slammed into his back and he fell forward, tossing the box in the air as he threw his hands out to catch himself. Charlie’s eyes widened as his feet slid from under him.

Phil grunted as he crashed into Charlie’s chest and a loud  _boom!_ from the box invaded his ears. He groaned in pain.

“Charlie, you okay?” Phil questioned but barely registered the fact that he wasn’t sprawled along anything solid or that there wasn't any limbs jamming into him. He quickly scrambled to his knees and blinked at the tiny mouse standing in the purple t-shirt that Charlie was wearing before turning to meet Louise’s alarmed gaze.

He had to be imaging things.

It was impossible what he was seeing. Surely, Charlie hadn’t turned into a mouse?

His heart started to thump painfully against his chest as the mouse met his stare before turning around and starting to bolt.

“Louise, are you—I—“ Phil scooped up the mouse in his palm before it could truly get away before jumping to show her. “Am I—“ He began and as he spun… his foot got caught in the shirt to propel him into his friend’s arms. Louise brought her arms up to catch him before a fogginess filled his vision.

Phil shook his head to clear it away and was pressed to a wet flaring nose. He closed his eyes tightly, pressing the mouse to his chest.

_Louise is fine. Your mind is playing tricks on you._

_Or She's playing tricks on you. It's just a prank. Open your eyes._

Phil reluctantly obeyed his panicked thoughts, tilting his chin up. An ox towered over him and Phil’s choked, “Oh my god!” caused it to flick its ears and snuff in his direction.

His heels mussed up Louise’s pink carpet as he scooted back and yelped as his hand crashed down into another bundle of fur. His eyes flicked to a cat with large ears and noticeably wavy fur who bristled under his hand. He snatched it away and plopped on his side.

 _“Anything is possible.”_ His mother’s voice rang through his mind and he willed his breathing to slow.

_Anything is possible and it is giving me a headache._

_“C’mon, Phil!”_ This voice had the slight sting of salt rushing under his eyelids. _“Mate! This could be the adventure of a lifetime.”_

_It could be but I just need a moment._


	2. Squabbles and Speeches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil's head hurts with his world view shift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It'll be a slow start but once we get past the initial stages...things'll pick up. XD Thank you for the reads/comments/kudos. They are really appreciated.  
> Also: I have definitely decided on the zodiac and the YouTubers that correlate with the animals (my head hurts) so yay! Here's your fun fact: Dan is actually a goat/ram/sheep. :3

Phil blinked his eyes slowly to refocus his sight. The edges of his field of vision were blurred from his inattention.

The mouse that had been squished against his chest scurried to his shoulder, tail flicking against his cheek as a voice popped the tense silence.

“Seriously?! If you two had managed to _not_ transform, I could have come up with—“

“If **_you_** had **_payed attention_** …” The mouse—Charlie—snapped at the cat. Phil watched as the cat arched its back and bare its teeth as a sharp hiss escaped its throat.

“Fuck of—“

“I think that is enough.” Phil pushed himself up, massaging his temples as the ox—no, Louise—interrupted the spat. “It’s a bit late to be playing the blame game but Dan, sweetie…”

The cat flicked its tail at Louise before yowling angrily and she merely stepped down with her two front legs to stomp her hooves in the other's general direction. Charlie wrapped his tail across his back paws before pointing a paw at the cat.

“If you make her snap, you will regret it.”

“Bring it on!”

“Will both of you _shut up?!”_  Louise screeched before shifting her hooves around experimentally and bumping the dresser with her horns and Phil watched her shake out the dense golden fur with a huff.

Phil pressed his palms against his eyes with a quiet groan at the pounding starting to thrum in his temples in time with his heart.

_This is too much._

“I’m really sorry, Phil…” The words were contrite but tinged with a quiet relief. “I know it’s a lot but I suppose I should do introductions…”

“I know who you are…” Phil murmured and lowered his makeshift barrier to stare at the ox. “I just…what…”

Louise lifted one hoof in response to his words in what Phil guessed with was a signal of her uncertainty with the situation. “I’m Louise…”

Phil raised his eyebrows as his lips stretched of their own accord. “And you like glitter?”

“Oh, hush, you.” Louise giggled, flanks heaving. “I’m Louise and I’m cursed with the spirit of the ox. You know Charlie Skies over here…” Charlie’s whiskers twitched at his name and Phil nodded as his studied the way Charlie looked at Louise with _something_ in his eyes. “He is obviously…”

“A mouse.” Phil interrupted but squeaked as Charlie scampered up his leg to stand on his raised left knee.

“Not a mouse. A **_rat.”_**  The cat spat before sitting on his haunches and Phil couldn’t help but think that he looked adorable with his plush fur and tall ears. He reached out and watched the feline surge away from him with a dark glower.

“Do you always try to touch people you just met?”

Phil rubbed the back of his neck as his cheeks stained pink. “No. I—“

“That is uncalled for, you stupid cat.” Charlie butted in and Louise interjected as the cat’s mouth dropped open:

“Stop. It. Damn it.” She lowered her head and shook it. “That’s Daniel. He’s always like this…don’t mind him.”

_Daniel. Daniel the cat._

“So Daniel is…a cat?” Phil questioned, tilting his head like a confused puppy.

“A stupid cat.” Charlie muttered and an answering: “Hey!” filled the room. Louise’s tail swatted against her back agitatedly before she let out a rush of air.

“Have you heard about the Chinese Zodiac?” The inquiry was timid but Phil covered his mouth with his hand to hide his toothy grin.

_“Close your eyes, Philip. Can you smell the sweetness of the cakes? Taste the bitterness of the coffee on your tongue?”_

_He could and Phil clapped his hands as he faced his grandmother. His skin prickled as if being warmed with the sun’s rays but he also felt a slight chill and he shivered._

_“Am I sitting by a window?” He asked tentatively and heard her throaty chuckle._

_“You are. What do you see?”_

“—il?”

“Of course.” The scent of his grandmother’s perfume wafted around him and the words tasted like the phantom sunlight that rested on his skin. “I’ve heard of it.” He raised his chin and noted the worrying patch with a dark ring on the ceiling. “My grandma used to tell me quite a bit as it was one of the only ways to keep me occupied.”

“What is your animal?” Charlie was curious.

“I’m a rabbit.”

Louise lost it—tiny bubbles of giggles gathering in her chest and exploding out of her mouth and Charlie joined in with his sharp bark. Dan regarded him with sharp penny eyes and took a tentative forward before stopping.

"That makes...a surprising amount of sense." Louise managed before dissolving into more titters of amusement as Charlie shook his head with trembling whiskers.

Phil squinted at his laughing friends before the fogginess from before returned and he was staring at Louise’s twinkling eyes, ruffled hair, and _way too much skin._

“OH.” Phil squeezed his eyelids as tight as he could before pressing his forearm against them. “I—Sor—“

“Don’t worry about it.” The dancing lilt in Louise’s tone had the sudden tension easing from his shoulders. “It's apart of the curse. When we change back…”

Phil grunted under the unexpected weight on his lap and lowered his arm to open his eyes curiously. He was met with Charlie’s pale lips and stubbled chin. He couldn’t help but let his eyes travel a bit lower- roving over pale collar bones, across his chest splattered in hair and—

_No. He’s your friend, Phiil._

Phil jerked his attention to Charlie’s face and was met with a closed lip smirk of mischief before Phil shut his eyes once more.

_Holy shit._

“We’re naked.” Charlie’s laughter vibrated through his sternum before Phil felt him leave his lap. His teeth sunk into his lower lip as he shifted, trying to calm the low hum of arousal starting to tug in his abdomen.

_Not the time. Not the person._

_He’s so…_

_Shut up, Phil._

“I can—uh—see that…” Phil spluttered as he listened to the sharp crack of the door banging closed and then the rustling of clothes.

He needed to get a grip. The slight pounding against the fragile vessels at his temples was a full on drum beat now and he felt slight queasy with the feverish embarrassment heating his skin. Really, though…it wasn’t like he hadn’t seen an attractive male, Phil scolded himself.

“You can look, honey.” Louise told him, fingertips drumming against his cheek.

“Right…” Phil waited a moment before he looked around the room. Dan was still out of his reach but he was sitting on his haunches quietly, tail curled tightly around his paws. Phil wiggled his fingers at him playfully and frowned when the downy fur stood at attention along his spine. “Rude.” He scoffed before giggling.

“You have questions, I guess.” Charlie spoke and Dan immediately whipped around so his back was to Phil.

His stomach sank a bit but Phil ignored it to nod. “So this curse…you turn into animals if you’re hugged?”

“Not…exactly.” Louise started, a pregnant pause between the words before she continued. Phil caught the quick flick of her eyes to Dan’s hunched back. “Long ago when the curse was younger…It used to be just the opposite sex but it’s evolved to correlate with…”

“Don’t.” Dan growled and Phil watched his fur prickle even higher (if that was possible).

“Just because you’re in denial, you twat, doesn’t mean…”

“Stay out of it!” Dan yelled and spun around and Phil groaned at the fogginess before—

_Oh. Oh my._

The boy before him was slim with gentle curving hips, a smooth chest, plump lips and a dangerous glint in his eyes. Phil gulped as he took a step forward, throat tight as his heart jumped.

“Dan—“

“Dan.” Phil repeated breathlessly and the boy pinned him with that caustic glare, a single brow raised. His cheeks darkened even more before he forced his line of sight to his twisting fingers. “I mean…I—“

“Am an outsider.” Dan’s curt words sent a pang through his chest. “He doesn’t need to know _anything,_ Louise.”

“Dan!” Louise scolded with a gentle bite.

“The curse correlates with sexuality.” Charlie continued brusquely, pinning Dan with his own nut-brown gaze. “Don’t be an ass to Phil because you can’t be quick on your feet.”

“Fuck off.” Dan growled and Phil winced as a starburst of pain spread through his already hurting head. He rubbed his forehead and was surprised when it came away wet with blood.

_What the hell?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're curious: Dan's cat form is a Devon Rex. Much cat. Very cute.

**Author's Note:**

> Some phan pieces are crossposted to my Tumblr: loveinthebones.tumblr.com


End file.
